THE VASCULAR FLORA OF MACQUARIE ISLAND.—CHEESEMAN. 
15 
biologist; L. R. Blake was surveyor and geologist; while C. A. Sandell and A. F. Sawyer 
were wireless operators and general assistants. But much mutual help was rendered 
by all the members of the party. For the character of the work, and the manner in 
which it was performed, reference should be made to chapters 25 to 27 of Sir Douglas 
Mawson’s “ Heart of the Blizzard” (vol. 2, pp. 167 to 254). These chapters, which 
have the respective headings of “ Life on Macquarie Island,” “ A Land of Storm and 
Mist,” and “ Through another Year,” were written by Mr. Ainsworth, and contain many 
observations of value respecting the flora and fauna, as well as the physical configuration 
and structure of the island. The party resided for nearly two years on the island, and 
visited every portion of it, taking its final departure on 28th November, 1913. 
Mr. Harold Hamilton, who formed the biological collections secured by the party, 
was the son of the late Mr. A. Hamilton, who did such excellent work in Macquarie 
Island in 1894. He was a graduate of the Otago University, and prior to his engage¬ 
ment with the Mawson Expedition was employed for a short time on the staff of the 
New Zealand Geological Survey. At a la,ter date he occupied the post of Entomological 
collector to the Dominion Museum, Wellington. After his return from Macquarie 
Island, he was appointed zoologist to the Dominion Museum. Shortly after came the 
outbreak of the present war. Like many others, he felt it his duty to volunteer for 
active service. He obtained a commission in the Motor Boat Reserve, and left New 
Zealand with the rank of Lieutenant. Unfortunately, I am not able to state his exact 
position at the present time. Personally, I much regret his absence, for he had engaged 
to supply me with much information that he had obtained respecting the ecology of 
the vegetation, and the distribution of the species upon the island, together with other 
particulars gathered during his stay. These, I hope, he will make public at a later date. 
Mr. H. Hamilton’s collection of the vascular plants of the island, which, as I 
have previously stated, forms the basis of this memoir, has been placed in my hands 
for examination and report. It is excellently preserved, and contains a fair number 
of specimens of most of the species, including all those collected by Dr. Scott and 
Mr. A. Hamilton, with two exceptions only— Uncinia riparia R.Br. var. Flookeri, and 
Deschampsia penicillata T. Kirk. In addition, it contains four species not previously 
recorded from the island, as under :— 
Juncus scheuchzerioides Gaud. 
Scirpus aucklandicus Boeck. 
Car ex trifida Cav. 
Triodia maequariensis Cheesem., n.sp. 
The last mentioned is a most interesting addition to the florula, increasing the number 
of endemic species to three. 
The following detailed enumeration of the species will show how much additional 
matter has been derived from the study of Mr. Hamilton’s specimens. It is, perhaps, 
as well to mention that he also collected various cryptogams, which I understand will 
be worked up in the other memoirs of this volume. 
